Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

I am a 17 year old athlete, almost 6´1 and 157 pounds. High jumped 6ft and ran 38.0 for the 300m off almost no training in 2006, started year 2007 doing distance cycling for three months, then switched back to track again. Trained for 3 months, my bw went from 143lb to 154, yet externally I am the same skinny kid as you can see in the pictures. At the beginning july got a non track related injury which left me out for 4 months. I am planning to compete in lj, tj and ocassionaly 200 / 400.

I am training now since january uneventfuly and also started lifting in january (no previous experience ).

My main “problem” is the ratio between my extremely weak deep squats and power cleans. I am able to clean 1rm at 176lb (5rm at 154lb), while deep squatting 3x176lb is a complete nightmare, and front squatting 3x154lb the same. Since I am a beginner I am doing a progressive overload on both lifts so that the ratio remains the same. My bench press max is at 150lb now. I also don´t know if an hypertrophy program would benefit me.

Test results:

40m at 5.00 (deinterlaced video)from standing w/o reaction in february
14.7m l-l-l-l-r five bound test from standing
5.9m long jump with six contact approach

What does this mean? Should I focuse only in my squat (which sucks even more) and try to hypertrophy my legs / body? Would I be really benefited from big increases in my squat?

Thank you in advance.

You might want to read Starting Strength Barbell Training and Practical Programming by Mark Rippetoe. Try the novice program and see how you progress. Rippetoe also answers questions at his Q&A;section at strengthmill.net

At your age and in your event I don’t think a hypertrophy stage is necessary. Also, I’ve noticed your ratio problem is fairly common among athletes with lower training ages. Strength seems to take a while to develop while elastic qualities (that would lend themselves to OL success) tend to be a little more innate. I know you’re using a progressive overload for both lifts but make sure you’re pushing the squats with similar intensities. The squat is a tough exercise and I’ve noticed many people keep their efforts below what they are actually capable of doing because it’s hard and uncomfortable to squat heavy.

Mike Young - 12 July 2008 02:13 AM

The squat is a tough exercise and I’ve noticed many people keep their efforts below what they are actually capable of doing because it’s hard and uncomfortable to squat heavy.

I already noticed that. I found extremelly painfull on my muscles to perform hard squatting but I am more capable than what I believe.

Six months after this thread was started I want to do an update on my situation after my season has come to an end:

I overtrained for april-may (pushed it too much in the gym), blew up my left hamstring and glute in june (kicked my but while sprinting) and resumed training in august.
Did accels in august, and max v work since september, the farthest I went was 80m. Long HS meets were you have to participate in multiple events also drained me a little bit.
Since then I have had just some groin slight pulls due to lack of mobility and I believe something isn’t right with my peroneal tendong in my left ankle since I have a weird feeling, all due to massively heelstring while long jumping. Going to have an MRI next week.

Even though I had anything but ideal training I had a tremendous progression and come back from disastrous knee injury last year:

BW progression:
April: 158 pounds
June:168 pounds
Now: 158 pounds

My LJ:
Aug: 6.19
Sep: 6.55 (6.80)
Oct: 6.63
Nov: 6.63 (7.01)

My average was extremelly consistent at 6.55 since september, hit 6.80 once in practice in september and in states had a big foul measured at 7.01. My only two jumps above 6.63 were the 6.80 and the 7.01 foul. Those were two big statistical anomalies. I still have a shitload of technical work to do. The 7.01 was done with a sail technique . I won at states and placed 3rd at the u20 nat. champ.. I also won a silver medal with a highly improvised 4x100 relay.

Last week in the junior nat. champ. I was the starter in the 4x100 and timed 10.9h from the start till the 300m mark. I also outsprinted some low 11 fat runners, so I believe I am in very low 11 shape.
The most impressive feat was splitting 51.x in the 4x400 as starter in extremelly windy conditions (like +5.8 for the 200 heats) off no lactate work.

I also gained some strength, my bp is now at 1x 154 and squat 5x 187.

During the hamstring injury I started throwing, already hit 35m with the 800g jav while throwing just from arm strength (still unable to coordinate the run up) and threw over 40m with the 1kg discus from standing. Perhaps I am gonna take part in a decathlon after all in the future just for fun.

Nice job man. Stick with the LJ

You’ve improved nicely this year and next year should be even better and can take what you’ve learned this year to help your development…

my squat and clean and bench are around the same if not equal…i actually stopped squats and cleans and do deadlifts now for the last month because i felt less back pain…but i think it may be the squats where i get the back pain…but i feel hip pain occasionally with the clean..anyways great improvements i wish you would have ran some open races so we could see your improvement on the track…so what did you ultimately do in the wiegthroom after you made this post